09-24 REELLIFE digital - Flipbook - Page 19
time of year when fishing,
tie them, fish on your own
in an area you think will
be effective, and actually
catch something? This time
without a guide? That’s a
great feeling.
ON THE WATER
Great, you’ve got the gear.
You’ve tied everything
together the way it should
be just like the guide
showed you when you last
fished together. Now all
that’s left is putting the
line in the water. Although,
there’s a lot of water to
cover and you only have
so much time available to
fish. If you were hopefully
paying attention to your
guided fishing experience,
you should be able to
ascertain whether or not
you are fishing in an area
that is likely to hold fish
or at a depth that will be
productive for you. If you’re
planning on coming back
to the same waterbody,
make a mental note when
your guide tells you “This
spot is usually really good”
or “The fish like to group up
behind these rocks”. Those
clues can be used when
you come back again on
your own, if you remember.
More broadly, a guide can
help you identify general
areas that will likely hold
the fish you are looking for.
The guide can provide you
with a “Habitat 101” crash
course while out on the
water. Knowing your fish is
migrating because of the
spawning season, like a
plateaued rocky surface, or
will hold up in a small bay
to rest can help provide you
some general knowledge
on where to go when
fishing on your own.
THE FIGHT
As mentioned earlier, the
setup is a crucial part of
the fishing experience.
Knowing what kinds of
lures or bait to use, how
long leaders should be or
the distance from dodger
to lure are all invaluable.
Similarly, fishing in an area
that is likely to actually
hold the fish. But, arguably
the most important
information you can take
away from a guided fishing
trip is how to actually fight
the fish once hooked! Take
the tips learned during
your fishing adventure as
you played the fish, with
some coaching from your
guide, and apply them
as best you can in your
personal fishing. I know
the feeling of hooking into
a nice fish and the sense
of urgency that takes over,
the adrenaline-pumping
feeling where you tense
up and feel like you’ve got
to bring this fish in. All you
think about is “hand, reel,
crank” until the fish is in the
boat. If you can calm your
mind during this tussle with
your opponent and think
back to the advice from
your guided experiences,
you’ll not only have a more
enjoyable time battling
the fish, but you should
be more likely to land it.
Something as subtle as
bracing yourself up against
